Post for bicycles.



No. 674,528. Patented May 2|, 19m.

m. a. WATSON & A. 3; PRICE.

POST FOB BIGYCLES.

(Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT 0mm.

MURRAY B. WATSON AND ABNER R. PRICE, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

POST FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 674,528, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed November 20, 1899. Serial No. 737,667. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MURRAY BELL WAT- SON, residing at. 876 Queen street west, and ABNER RANDOLPH PRICE, residing at 1076 Queen street west, in the city of Toronto, in the county of York and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Handle-Bar Posts and Seat-Posts for Bicycles; and we hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in handle-bar posts and seat-posts for bicycles; and it relates more particularly to that class of posts in which an expanding-plug is employed to force the post against the tubular socket of the frame. One of the prinoipalobjections to this class of posts has been that a sufficient holding-s rface has not been provided to securely fasten the post in the socket,while anotherobjection has been the multiplicity of the parts constituting the lock and the difficulty of access when altering the elevation of the post. To obviate these objections and to provide the post with an internal lock, (accessible and operative at all times without the displacement of any of post.

the other parts of the vehicle,) by means of which the post can be expanded against the socket, is the object of the present invention; and it consists, essentially, of a tubular post the lower part of which is provided'with a saw-cut extending upwardly from the lower edge, a stationary wedge member locked within the lower part of the post, a movable Wedge member the inclined face of which 0pposes the inclined face of the stationary wedge member, and an adjusting-screw fitted into the top ofthe movable wedge member the head of which is opposed to the slot formed in the head of the post and is provided'with a series of holes to receive the operating-lever introduced through the slot in the head of the In the case of the handle-bar the head of the adjusting-screw is provided with a concaved clamp, which projects through the handle-bar socket to engage the under surface of the handle-bar and looks it securely in position, as hereinafter more fully set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of handle-bar post on the lines a a, Fig.

metal and provided with a saw-cut B, ex- A tending upwardly from its lower edge and provided at its upper end witha transverse socket O for the handle-bar D. The bore of the post A extends from the socket O to the lower end of the post. Formed in the post A immediately below the socket C is a transverse slot E. Contained in the lower end of the post A is a stationary wedge member F, held immovable by a pin G, passing through the lower end of the post and wedge member. The inclined face H extends downwardly from the top of the wedge member to a point a slight distance above the pin G. Contained in the post A above the stationary-wedge member F is a movable wedge member I, the inclined face J of which extends upwardly from its lower end.

When the parts are assembled in position, the inclined faceJ of the movable wed ge member I opposes the inclined face of the stationary wedge member F in order that the downward movement of the wedge member I will cause the expansion of the lower part of the post A. Fitted into the top of the movable wedge member I is the lower end of a screw K, the upper end of which is provided with an enlarged head L, fitted with a series of transverse holes M for the reception of an operating lever or pin 0. The head L when the screw is in position is opposed to the slot E, in order that the lever O can be inserted successively into each hole M for the purpose of turning the screw. Mounted on the top of the head L is a clamp P, the top of which is ooncaved and serrated to receive the under side of the handle-bar D.

The outer diameter of the wedge members F and I are approximately the same as the inner diameter of the tubular post A, and when assembled in position the inclined faces of the wedge members are so opposed that the slightest downward movement of the movable wedge member will cause the immediate expansion of the divided part of the post. It is preferable to have the wedge members at least two inches in length, although it is possible to vary this length without departing from the nature of the invention. The object of this comparatively considerable length of the wedge members is to provide as great an expansion-surface as possible for the tubular post in order that as much of the post as possible will engage its socket in the frame to insure the holding of the post to the socket.

By inserting the lever into the holes M in the head of the screw K the screw can be turned in either direction. By turning the screw one direction the movable wedge memher is forced down against the stationary wedge member to expand the lower end of the post and at the same time to force the clamp P tightly against the under side of the handle-bar to lock the handle-bar in the socket C. By reversing the screw the movable wedge member is raised away from engagement with the stationary wedge member and the pressure of the clamp P is released from the handle-bar. By releasing the pressure of the clamp from the handlebar the handle-bar can be adjusted to any desired position, and by withdrawing the movable wedge member from the stationary wedge member to release the expansion of the post the elevation of the post can be adjusted and then looked in its adjusted position by turning the screw to move the movable wedge member against the stationary Wedge member. By means of this construction it is possible to adjust the elevation of the handle-bar post and to alter the adjustment of the handlebars without the displacement of any of the parts of the ve hicle.

The device for expanding the seat-post is the same as that for expanding the handlebar post.

When the screw has been turned to force the movable wedge member against the stationary wedge member, a sufficient pressure is upon all the parts to prevent the slightest movement of any of them, thus avoiding any rattle or other unnecessary noise, as the screw holds all the parts tightly in place. This construction not only simplifies the use of the post, but also conceals the operating parts, which are always accessible to the rider, and in the case of the seat-post it can be raised or lowered without having to disturb in the slightest degree the relative position of the saddle to the seatbar, at the same time simplifying the construction and reducing the cost of manufacture of the wheel and dispensing with the use of a monkey-wrench in the adjustment of the handle-bars, handle-bar post, and seat-post. I

In order to prevent the admission of dust through the slot E to the various parts contained within the post, a movable slide R is provided to cover the slot, as shown in the drawings.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A post for bicycles consisting of a tubular standard having its lower end expansible and its upper end provided with a transverse slot a frusto-cylindrical wedge member stationarily contained within the lower end of the standard a frusto-cylindrical wedge member movably contained within the standard above the stationary wedge member the inclined faces of the two wedge members opposing each other an annular flange for the top of the movable wedge member having a screwthreaded opening a vertical adjusting-screw the lower end of which is screw-threaded to engage the screw-threaded opening in the top of the movable wedge member a head for the adjustable screw provided with a series of openings to receive the lever for rotating the adjusting-screw a transverse socket on the head of the standard having an opening communicating with the bore of the standard a concaved clamp mounted on the top of the adjusting-screw coacting with the socket to hold a bar securely in position substantially as specified.

Toronto, Canada, November 15, 1399.

MURRAY B. WATSON. ABNER R. PRICE.

In presence of- C. H. RICHES, J. E. CAMERON. 

